· CFO CONVERSATIONS · 2026
My philosophy is simple: Protect the business at all times.
Alia Saleh
Chief Financial Officer
Transformation & Strategic Finance Leader
About
About Alia Saleh.
Alia Saleh is a Big 4-trained FCCA and accomplished CFO with 15+ years of experience leading finance functions across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe. She has built a reputation for driving financial discipline, protecting margins, managing complexity, and supporting sustainable growth in multi-entity, project-led businesses.
KEY IMPACT
The impact delivered across multi-entity finance & growth.
01
Led finance across businesses with revenue responsibility of up to AED 800M
02
Managed ownership transition following a major market disruption in 2024
03
Successfully led IPO readiness and execution, including cultural and regulatory alignment
04
Strengthened stakeholder confidence across boards, banks, investors, and leadership teams
05
Supported acquisition and JV opportunities ranging from AED 100M to AED 300M revenue
Interview Summary
A conversation on strategic finance, transformation & the evolving CFO role.
01
When Finance Became Strategic
Alia explains how finance shifts from reporting profitability to connecting profit with cash flow. Strategic finance starts when numbers influence decisions.
02
Leadership Through Change
Real transformation requires patience, repetition, experimentation, and helping stakeholders understand why change matters.
03
Compliance & UAE E-Invoicing
UAE e-Invoicing will reshape systems, receivables, payables, and stakeholder processes. Readiness requires alignment across the whole business.
04
AI & Technology
AI will automate parts of finance, but judgment, validation, and strategic thinking will remain human responsibilities.
05
The Future CFO
Tomorrow's CFO will combine governance, commercial instinct, technology fluency, and leadership under pressure.
“Profit and cash must move together.”
Alia Saleh · Chief Financial Officer · Transformation & Strategic Finance Leader
Top CFOs of UAE 2026 is an editorial recognition highlighting finance leaders who strengthen the CFO ecosystem through broad experience, active contribution, and meaningful influence within their professional networks.